In the first half of 2026, tourist overnight stays in the European Union increased by 1.7 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data released by Eurostat. The total number of tourist overnight stays reached 1.321 billion, with nearly half contributed by foreign tourists. Foreign visitors accounted for 48.9 percent of all overnight stays, highlighting their significant role in the region’s tourism sector. However, there were notable variations among member states, with countries such as Malta, Cyprus, and Luxembourg recording the highest shares of foreign guest stays, while Germany, Poland, and Romania had lower percentages. The growth in tourist arrivals was uneven across the EU. Countries like Ireland, Malta, and Slovakia saw some of the strongest increases, with Ireland reporting a rise of 14.6 percent, Malta 9.9 percent, and Slovakia 5.9 percent. In contrast, nine countries recorded declines, with Cyprus experiencing the largest drop at -7.7 percent and Romania at -6.7 percent. Slovenia, however, showed a more moderate increase of 5.7 percent, bringing its total number of tourist overnight stays to nearly 7.3 million during the first six months of the year. In Austria, the city of Vienna recorded approximately 11.1 million overnight stays from January through July 2026, marking a 5 percent increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Slovenia's overall figure stood at around 10.54 million overnight stays during the same period. While detailed financial figures for Slovenia remain unavailable, Vienna reported a net revenue of approximately €145 million in June alone, representing a 9 percent increase over the previous year. For the first half of 2026, the city's accommodation businesses generated a net income of roughly €647.8 million, up slightly by 2 percent. Vienna welcomed a diverse range of international guests during July 2026. German tourists accounted for the largest share, with approximately 332,000 overnight stays, followed by Austrian visitors at 299,000, Americans at 126,000, Italians at 76,000, British at 70,000, Spaniards at 64,000, French at 48,000, Polish at 63,000, Turks at 49,000, and Swiss at 37,000. Notably, Turkish visitors showed a 16 percent increase in stays, indicating a growing interest in the city. In Slovenia, foreign tourists accounted for three-quarters of all overnight stays, contributing around 7.9 million stays, which represents an 8 percent increase compared to the previous year. The majority of these visitors came from Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic. According to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS), domestic tourists made up the remaining portion of stays, showing a smaller but steady growth rate. The occupancy rates in Vienna remained stable throughout the summer, with an average room occupancy rate of approximately 73 percent in July 2026, similar to the previous year. Bed occupancy averaged around 56 percent, slightly below the prior year’s level. From January to July 2026, the average room occupancy was approximately 65 percent, and bed occupancy was around 50.1 percent. The city offered approximately 84,500 hotel beds during July, an increase of about 1,600 beds compared to July 2025. Overall, the tourism sector in both Slovenia and Austria has shown signs of recovery and continued growth, albeit at varying rates. As the second half of the year progresses, further insights into seasonal trends and economic impacts will become clearer.
★
Ohranimo novice poštene.
ObjectiveNews financirajo bralci in je brez oglasov – pristranskost vam pokažemo, ne skrijemo. Podprite neodvisno novinarstvo za 4 €/mesec.
Postani podpornik